Art and Photography Blog

Photos of the Food Shops of Bologna

Here are some photos of the a few of the many food shops in Bologna, Italy, taken in late October. They were all tempting. It is known as one of the food centers of the country. 

                                

Photos of Wild Turkeys on Thanksgiving

I hope that those celebrating Thanksgiving have a great day with their families. Here are some of my neighbors who are protected today unlike some of their less fortunate cousins. 

                

 

Photographs from Castellarano Italy

Here are late October photographs from Castellarano, a beautiful small town south of Modena, Emilia-Romanga, Italy. There is core part of the city that dates from the Middle Ages. You can click on a picture to enlarge it. 

                                  

 

Photographs from Carpi Italy

Here are late October photographs from Carpi, a beautiful small town outside Modena, Emilia-Romanga, Italy. You can click on a picture to enlarge it. 

                                        

Simply Beautiful Photographs from National Geographic

Here is another in a long series of great photography books from National Geographic, Simply Beautiful Photographs by Annie Griffiths. I was pleased to receive a review copy. Annie picked images from all of the Society's core mission areas: exploration, wildlife, cultures, science, and nature. Each chapter covers a “specific aspect of what creates beauty in a photograph, whether light or color, or motion, and illuminates that quality in a splash of large-format images —most of which readers will be able to purchase as prints. Musings on visual beauty from scholars and poets enhance the experience.”  

This must have been a fun assignment given the rich depth of the National Geographic photo archives. It is certainly fun to look at what she came up with.  The chapters are: light, composition, moment, time. palette, and wonder.  Many of the photos span across two pages of the large format book. Among other things it shows the diversity of beauty with the world and the people who live in it.

I was especially drawn into the Composition chapter as I am always mentally composing pictures as I walk around and this gave we some new ideas to consider. It begins appropriately with a quote from Henri Cartier-Bresson, the master of composition.  I loved the contrast of a single black muddy road through a white field of snow followed by a busy Asian marketplace. An image from Sam Abell follows with an archway of trees over a dirt drive. I have interviewed Sam before about his composition process. Later a large group of white pelicans navigate the curve in a dark river through a grassy march. A curving street in Lisbon provides a stage for a variety of people. The great images go on and on. Annie provides photo she took of a bicycle in front of a fruit stand in the rural UK.

The Moment chapter captures those fleeting instances that photography is unique in its ability to capture. Nuns play volleyball. A whale surfaces and a gorilla considers a leaf. The Time chapter shows image sin motion, often with a blur. The tango dancers surrounded by motion is a great example.

The palette chapter shows images with a strong color sense, often in the same color, sometimes with contrasting colors. A lone red umbrella in a large green Japanese garden is a good example of this interplay. Another red umbrella is seen in a blur of snow in a largely black and white image of Chinese workers.

The wonder chapter is true to its name with images that cause a close look such as a group of seemingly dancing humpback whales. An exploding volcano in Hawaii is followed by the northern lights in Canada.

This is a comprehensive collection of images that will not disappoint. It will draw you in for many viewing. 

 

Mick Mather Combines Some Nice Images

Mick writes a great art blog. He has been doing this for a while and we have often exchanged ideas over the past years. Mick is an Arts & Culture consultant specializing in revitalization planning through creative public art projects and programs with Economic & Community Development Departments of towns, villages and cities during the day. I'm a working, exhibiting artist the rest of the time.

Mick writes that the blog is his studio, exhibit space, and archive. Mick often builds on photos to create new images. He had done this for several of my photos.  He recently did this again with two images that I took in Bologna.  Here is Mick’s new image.  Scanning down his blog reveals some very interesting images. 

 

Photographs from Reggio-Emilia Italy

Here are some late October photos from Reggio-Emilia, another wonderful Emilia-Romangna city in Italy. 

                        

                

 

Photographs from Modena Italy

Here are some late October photos from Modena, another wonderful Emilia-Romangna city in Italy. 

                                

Photographs from Bologna Italy: Part Two

Here are more photos from Bologna, a wonderful city within Emilia-Romagna, Italy. They were taken in late October.  More photos from Emilia-Romagna will follow.